Conclusion
Understanding the concepts and types of decontamination methods, and
evaluating their usefulness is imperative in order to prevent
transmission of potential pathogens and improve the shelf life of
commodities. As microbes differ greatly in their ability to tolerate
destruction by physical or chemical means, it is important to choose a
suitable decontamination method in order to achieve the required level
of decontamination. Sanitizing, which is the least effective
decontamination method, reduces the number of pathogens to a sanitary
level. Disinfectants and antiseptics provide a higher level of
decontamination, as they inactivate or kill vegetative microbes. The
best decontamination method is sterilizing, which kills both vegetative
microbes and their spores. The level of decontamination can be assessed
using “D”, “SAL” and “LR” values, and monitored with biological
and chemical indicators.